Visitors update governance proposals

Three people who have the final say in how Wairarapa will be governed in future were in the district yesterday meeting with district councils.

Local Government commissioners Basil Morrison, Grant Kirby and Anne Carter held closed door meetings with councillors outlining the progress of reorganisation and the future agenda.

In a press statement corresponding with the meetings with councils throughout Wairarapa, the commissioners confirmed alternative ideas for local government arrangements in Wairarapa and Wellington are being called for from the wider community.

The commission will assess an application from Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) and to combine the process with an earlier application from the three Wairarapa district councils.

Commission CEO Donald Riezebos said applications will be considered as part of the same process "because they affect the same region".

"There is now an opportunity for alternative applications to be considered alongside those from the councils," he said.

Mr Riezebos said an alternative application is not the same as a submission that merely expresses a view or takes a position on the councils' applications.

"Public submissions occur at a later stage of the process," he said.

An alternative application is expected to propose changes, to explain what they are designed to achieve and to describe improvements that would result from the changes.

"For example, changes can include the union of district or regional councils, the creation of a new district or regional council, the abolition of a district or regional council, boundary alterations or the transfer of statutory obligations between councils," Mr Riezebos said.

The commission will receive alternative applications until August 16 and consider them alongside original applications as well as the status quo.

Further along the track the commission will determine its preferred option and will prepare a draft proposal which will be publicly notified and public submissions called for.

If it decides to press ahead, the commission will prepare a final proposal which will also be publicly notified.

Then 60 working days are allowed for responses which could include people seeking petitioning for a poll.

A petition of 10 per cent, or more, of electors in any affected district is able to trigger a poll.